Burns
Volume 44, Issue 5, 2018, Pages 1322-1329

Pediatric burns in Israeli natives versus asylum seekers living in Israel: Lessons learned (Article)

Zissman S. , Orgil M. , Ben-Amotz O. , Gur E. , Arad E. , Leshem D.*
  • a Pediatric & Craniofacial Plastic Surgery Unit, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Affiliated with the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
  • b Pediatric & Craniofacial Plastic Surgery Unit, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Affiliated with the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
  • c Pediatric & Craniofacial Plastic Surgery Unit, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Affiliated with the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
  • d Pediatric & Craniofacial Plastic Surgery Unit, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Affiliated with the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
  • e Pediatric & Craniofacial Plastic Surgery Unit, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Affiliated with the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
  • f Pediatric & Craniofacial Plastic Surgery Unit, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Affiliated with the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

Abstract

Background: Burn injuries are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the pediatric population. In early childhood, burns have a wide range of adverse long-term consequences ranging from functional impairment to psychological implications. Children from low-income and middle-income countries are at a higher risk of suffering from burn injuries. In the last 10 years the population of asylum seekers from low-income countries in Israel has increased dramatically. About 25,000 or 60% of asylum seekers are living in the Tel Aviv area, making up roughly 6% of the city's total population (about 405,000). Aim: A retrospective study aimed to profile the pediatric burn injuries treated at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center over the last 9 years in an effort to examine the distinct characteristics of African asylum seekers who suffer burn injuries in comparison with Israeli nationals. Patients & Methods: Medical records of 876 patients under the age of 18 years presenting between 2007–2015 were retrospectively reviewed. The parameters collected included gender, causality, total body surface area (TBSA), burn depth and patient outcome. Conclusions: There was no significant difference regarding: age; male-female ratio; scald-types burns; limb involvement. However, hospitalization and length of hospital stay were significantly higher among asylum seekers, as was family burden. Questions may be raised regarding prevention, education & social support. Our research provides a small glimpse into the world of asylum seekers in Israel. We hope it will serve as a window into the much grander problems that this population faces on a daily basis. © 2018

Author Keywords

Burn injuries Total body surface area (TBSA) Hospitality stay & rate Depth of burn and patient outcome Pediatric population Israeli native Casualty Asylum seekers gender

Index Keywords

hospitalization refugee Israel risk human Israeli Refugees statistics and numerical data length of stay ethnology asylum seeker Humans Treatment Outcome Adolescent Infant, Newborn male preschool child female Infant Child, Preschool newborn medical record Africa Article major clinical study adult Body Surface Area causality burn hospital emergency service Emergency Service, Hospital Burns injury scale Trauma Severity Indices body surface retrospective study Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85045006105&doi=10.1016%2fj.burns.2018.02.027&partnerID=40&md5=6a7dfabdcc3b96320031e21acbb1837b
DOI: 10.1016/j.burns.2018.02.027
ISSN: 03054179
Original Language: English